Pascal's wager ~ slide 1 Pascal’s wager zBlaise Pascal (French, 1623-1662) At age 16, formulated...
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Transcript of Pascal's wager ~ slide 1 Pascal’s wager zBlaise Pascal (French, 1623-1662) At age 16, formulated...
![Page 1: Pascal's wager ~ slide 1 Pascal’s wager zBlaise Pascal (French, 1623-1662) At age 16, formulated one of the basic theorems of projective geometry, known.](https://reader036.fdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022082711/56649f0e5503460f94c223ff/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Pascal's wager ~ slide 1
Pascal’s wager
Blaise Pascal (French, 1623-1662) At age 16, formulated one of the
basic theorems of projective geometry, known as Pascal’s theorem
1642 - invented the first mechanical adding machine
1648 - proved Torricelli’s sea of air hypothesis
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 2
Pascal’s wager
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 3
Pascal’s wager
1654 - together with Pierre de Fermat, formulated the mathematical theory of probability
The famous wager, from the Pensées (1670) God is “infinitely incomprehensible”
and completely transcendent, completely different than us.
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 4
Pascal’s wager
How, then, can faith in God’s existence be justified?
Reason cannot decide, but we must make a choice. Refusing to choose is itself a choice with immense consequences.
What choice should we make?
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 5
Pascal’s wager
The wager A. If one bets that God exists, then
there are two possible outcomes (1) God exists (one wins the
bet); one gains much -- one enjoys eternal bliss.
(2) God does not exist (one loses the bet); one loses very little.
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 6
Pascal’s wager
B. If one bets that God does not exist, the outcomes are: (3) God does not exist (one
wins the bet); one gains very little.
(4) God does exist (one loses the bet); the consequences are immense -- eternal loss.
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 7
Pascal’s wager
Now comparing A & B, we see that the choice is clear. Choose A.
Final piece of advice What should we advise a person
who wishes to believe but cannot? Act as if you believe, “taking the
holy water, having masses said, etc.” (65).
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 8
Pascal’s wager
Critical evaluation of Pascal’s wager Comment: This is not an argument
for the existence of God (as a truth-claim); reason by itself cannot tell us whether God exists. Rather it is an argument for the
justification of faith in the existence of God. He offers a reason why we ought to believe in God.
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 9
Pascal’s wager
Does the fact that the wager is practically useful mean that it is true? Claims can be useful, but false (e.g., wolves are vicious).
Pascal’s conception of God -- God is so far beyond that he cannot be known & hence the need to resort to the wager. This conception of God is contrary to Judaism, Christianity, & Islam.
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 10
Pascal’s wager
Does Pascal’s conception of the Jewish & Christian God one-sided? Does it emphasize some attributes of God & without considering others?
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Pascal's wager ~ slide 11
Pascal’s wager
William James’ objection: The wager does not work without a predisposition to believe.